Pitt Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lance White announced Thursday morning that former Panther standout Brianna Kiesel will join his staff as an assistant coach. Kiesel returns to Pitt after spending the past six seasons playing professionally.
“After a nationwide search to find our new assistant coach, I am so excited to add Bri to our staff,” said White. “Her knowledge of the game matches her love for Pitt. She was a huge part of Pitt’s last NCAA Tournament team and she had a successful career in the WNBA and overseas so she knows firsthand what it takes to compete and win at the highest level.”
The Utica, NY native returns to her alma mater as an assistant coach after finishing up her six-year playing career this spring. Kiesel most recently played for Uni Gyor in the Hungary A Division (her second stint with the team) and led them to a third place finish while averaging 17.5 ppg, 6.5 apg, 3.9 rpg, 1.9 spg and shooting 53.4% from the floor.
“I am so honored to be joining the women’s basketball coaching staff at the University of Pittsburgh,” stated Kiesel. “I had such an amazing playing career here and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to make my return as an assistant coach. Everyone at Pitt has been my second family since the moment I stepped foot on campus for my official visit. This has been my dream job ever since graduating in 2015 and I’m ready to pass on the knowledge I’ve gained from the WNBA and international play to the up-and-coming student-athletes at Pitt. I can’t wait to continue to bleed that Pittsburgh blue and gold.”
Kiesel played for five teams in four different countries (Poland, Sweden, Hungary, Isreal) during her overseas playing career and earned multiple First Team All-League selections. The best season of her professional career came during the 2019 campaign as she averaged a career-high 19.0 ppg, 4.2 apg and 3.9 rpg across 21 games for Pszczolka AZS-UMCS Lublin (Poland-EBLK). She was named First Team All-Polish BLK, All-Polish BLK Import Player of the Year and All-Polish BLK Guard of the Year for her stellar play.
After her masterful playing career at Pitt, Kiesel was selected in the second round (13th overall) of the 2015 WNBA Draft by the Tulsa Shock. With her selection, Kiesel became just the second Panther in program history drafted into the WNBA, joining former Pitt great Shavonte Zellous (2009, Detroit Shock).
Kiesel appeared in 58 career WNBA games for three teams (Tulsa Shock, Dallas Wings, Atlanta Dream) while posting the best season in the league during her rookie season in Tulsa in 2015. She finished the season appearing in 36 games while averaging 5.1 points and 1.8 assists.
The skilled point guard capped her amazing Pitt career as the Panthers’ all-time leader in minutes played while ranking third in free throw percentage (79.5%), fifth in points (1,938), fifth in assists (433) and eighth in steals (198). She is still the only player in program history to accumulate at least 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists while also being the only player to lead the team in scoring and assists in four straight seasons. The prolific scorer also posted 42 games with 20+ points scored across her career.
Kiesel had a standout senior campaign which resulted in numerous individual accolades and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She finished the 2014-15 season averaging a career-high 18.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 4.5 apg while posting 17 games with 20+ points scored. She was named a WBCA Region 2 All-America nominee, a First Team All-ACC performer, as well as being named to the All-ACC Defensive Team and ACC All-Academic Team.
